Rotherham child abuse scandal: council chief executive to step downMartin Kimber, chief executive of the council at the centre of the child exploitation scandal, will quit at the end of the year

The chief executive of Rotherham council is to step down, saying a new leader would help the town recover after it emerged councillors, police and social services turned a blind eye to the abuse of at least 1,400 children.

Martin Kimber said in a statement: "I believe that new leadership will enable the town to recover more quickly from the events of the last two weeks, and strongly signal a new beginning at this critical time in its recovery. The time is therefore now right for me to leave."